The Kings seem to be having a tough old time of it in the transfer market, just a few short months ahead of starting pre-season training for their inaugural Super Rugby season.

The latest development comes in the form of a big middle finger from the Bulls, who are insisting there is no truth to the rumour that wing-cum-centre JJ Engelbrecht – one of Heyneke Meyer’s pasella-Boks this year – is on the verge of leaving Pretoria after just one year to join up with the Kings. Engelbrecht is a product of Grey High in Port Elizabeth and it would have been a coup indeed had the Kings managed to snap him up. Fellow Grey boys Luke Watson and Wesley Dunlop are already in the Kings squad and are a vital part of the “home grown flavour” that the side hopes to cultivate, despite the presence of a fair few imports as well.

It’s not to be though, at least not for next year, with the Bulls determined to hold on to Englebrecht in the wake of their other “star signing” from WP, Johann Sadie, being shipped off to the Cheetahs after failing to impress.

Earlier this month, the Kings announced that they had captured the signatures of both Lions hooker Bandise Maku and Argentine scrumhalf Nicholas Vergallo ahead of next year; however, it emerged shortly afterwards that neither player knew anything at all about the proposed move and are both still under contract, to the Lions and French club Toulouse, respectively.

4 Comments

is this not all noise from the Kings to make it seem that they are signing quality players to assist with other signings?

Comment 1, posted at 10.10.12 10:18:23 by Dunx

And so the circus is now in full swing.

Comment 2, posted at 10.10.12 10:21:28 by lostfish

@Dunx (Comment 1) : Sorry but IMHO all they are doing is damaging what little rep they have. Very soon nobody in the rugby fraternity will trust anything they say and that includes players. Hard to sign professionals if they dont trust you.

Comment 3, posted at 10.10.12 10:48:10 by Caratacus

Just a side note . Maku’s contract with the Lions run out at the end of the CC . He has not decided where he will play next season . Might be Kings . Might be Lions .

Dont think the Kings did themselves any favors by announcing him before anything has been signed ..

In other news . Andries Coetzee and Ruan Combrink has re-signed with the Lions